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I would like to say a few words about “Unplanned Peacock” yarns. I had the pleasure of meeting Natasha Laity Snyder/owner at the Alpaca Craft Fair last month in New Holland, PA. She is an indie dyer and I could not leave without purchasing one of her lovelies! The yarn I held was soft and squishy and was really very pretty. When I left the craft show I had this skein in hand. A grape colorway was my choice in the Twinkle Twist. The sparkle is beautiful! It will be knit into a hat for daughter C. after things calm down and back to normal from the hustle of the holidays. I can’t wait to cast on!

Unplanned Peacock dyed grape colorway in the Twinkle Twist

The pattern picked out for this yarn is a design created by Megan Williams of Stockinette Zombies. She has the Stockinette Zombies’ podcast on Ravelry with co-podcaster Amy. This hat design is so unique and the buttons just make this hat too adoreable!

For Good Hat Pattern – Megan Williams

This pattern was unveiled last November 2012 and the first design in memory of her sister Melissa. When you purchase the pattern the price is a donation which goes to the National Woman’s Health Network. This pattern is called For Good Hat.

The hat pictured below is newly released November 2013 and the second design again in memory of Megan’s sister Melissa which also is a lovely patterned hat and cowl Measure in Love! This also will be a donation to the National Woman’s Heath Network. (link above)

Measure In Love – Megan Williams

Measure In Love – cowl

So, in preparation to knit this special pattern I went to the Unplanned Peacock website to check out the colors currently available on her blog. An announcement on their blog is that they are currently working on new colors to be released January 2014! 2014 Spring Preview I can’t wait to see the colors when they become available. Natasha has done her research!

I want to share a dear winter scene with all of you before I close this blog post! I stopped in to see my mother before she went off to sister’s for Christmas and where she lives there is beautiful winter village set up every year that is on display. Here is the photo I took to share with all of you since we just celebrated the Winter Solstice I thought you might enjoy seeing it. Happy Holidays! Enjoy!

First, I have to admit I am addicted to those “fun-to-watch” knitting podcasts. I can’t help but be inspired with great ideas for what to cast on the needles for holiday gifting. Like all knitters, we put much love into our stitches for that special item that will be presented to its new owner. But, not all receivers appreciate them nor do they desire a hand knit lovely. So, I make sure that I have a receptive receiver.

As luck would have it socks are high on the list of requests. I am given free reign for the pattern and that is so freeing. I can choose a design that I have been wanting to knit. There are so many unique patterns to choose from on Ravelry. My favorite part of the podcast is seeing their WIPs and FOs that are shared each time. All my knitting for Christmas this year has been the result of my watching the “Knitting Podcasts”! There are KAL’s going on and that is so encouraging, along with threads for all to share FO pictures and ask questions if help is needed.

One of the socks knit for Christmas gifting is in the Skyp pattern which turned out so nice! I found this ribbed pattern to have a lot of stretch in it and snugs the leg nicely! Steve and Callie from Dramatic Knits podcast are hosting a KAL for any ribbed socks running from November thru December 31st..You may still have time to get a pair knit and shared in that thread on Ravelry. (You do have to be a member of most groups to participate.) Below is the picture of my entry into this knit-a-long. And …… Steve is the owner, along with partner Andrew, of Leading Man Fiber Arts hand dyed artisan yarns.

The other sock inspired by a podcaster is for daughter and was knit during an October 2013 KAL. I had that finished and put away so I was ahead of the game with these! The sock yarn was so colorful and vibrant that I had to find just the right pattern that would showcase this lovely yarn! Jenna who podcasts at Retro Lemon and is a designer of cute stuffed animals also had a KAL for the entralac technique in the fall.

I was pleasantly surprised last night when I watched Mel’s video podcast Single Handed Knits. Mel has recently moved from beautiful Hawaii to the shores of North Carolina and is a favorite designer that I follow! If you are a knitter and familiar with Ravelry – I hope you would already have had the pleasure of seeing her designs. They have a very modern and fresh flair to them that I love! I invite you to hop over and check out her group on Ravelry. And, while there, take a peek at her designs!

If you have a minute please go over and enjoy Mel’s podcast. There is currently a knit-a-long in progress for her design Halele’a the sweater designed when at home on Kauai, Hawaii. The yarn for this knit-a-long is being dyed by Stacie who has the video podcast Must Stash with Stephanie. Stacie’s eye for color is superb and her colors for this kit are amazing! I am sure you will find a pretty color to your liking!

Halele’a – Single Handed Knits Design

Now that I have expounded on how beautiful Mel’s designs are you must go and see for yourself!

Her most recent podcast is an interview with the two designers of the book “Journey” via Skype – Shannon Cook and Jane Richmond based in British Columbia, Canada. An interesting interview was shared of the stunning photographs done in the book by the brother of Jane Richmond. I can’t wait to get my copy of this beautiful book! I have many of the designs already in my queue on Ravelry! I would like to share more of the awesome pictures but Mel has done such a beautiful job in her podcast interview that I would not do it any justice myself. The “partners in design” have a terrific book on their hands! Here is the cover showcasing the beautiful shawl design by Shannon Cook.

“Journey” (cover) –Jane Richmond & Shannon Cook

For those of you who want a peek into this “Journey” of Shannon and Jane’s new book below is a photo collage of the designs that are featured! I want a copy of this knitting book for sure!

It is still snowing in Pennsylvania and it is so beautiful! Now, I am off to get a treat of hot coffee! Enjoy looking at these beautiful designs!

Designs featured in “Journey”

Knittingly,

Carole

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This entry was posted on December 8, 2013, in Uncategorized. 1 Comment

Like all knitters I get e-mails from different sources to feed my knitting addiction! Then, of course, one click leads to another and another. Even though I have been knitting for 40+ years it still amazes me that I am never bored as there is new designers, books or podcasts to enjoy. There is so much to explore and learn with this art! Don’t tell anyone please but I am very addicted to podcasts! I will take the risk of sharing these wonderful venues off and on while I blog.

This past Sunday was the SAFONA’s 6th Annual Fiber Arts Festival, New Holland, PA., Lancaster County in Amish area of Pennsylvania. SAFONA stands for “Small Alpaca Farms of The Northeast Association”. This being their 6th year for this affair it was actually my first. I should have taken pictures as there were several who were spinning and it was fun to see! I arrived home and was sad I had no pictures to share of roving being spun into yarn! They were so informative and had a lot to share with me about their art! I did post a picture of some cute alpacas for those of you who are not familiar with them.http://www.safona.org/

And, I had lunch there too as I could not resist the infamous chicken corn soup!

It was so windy and terribly cold so the hot soup really was warmth right to the soul!

I did make a purchase of very pretty fingering weight hand dyed yarn in grape colorway and I want to knit with it first before I review this yarn and share the studio which is only fair! It’s intended use is a knit slouchy hat for daughter.

This flower is so adorable! I wanted to share this with everyone! A cute crochet design over at SimplyNotable blog that I would love to crochet! Measuring tape covers are popular now and I have seen a cute sheep covered measuring tape too on a vlog I had watched! Knitting and crochet blogs are such fun to read and you can get great ideas and patterns from reading them! They are my new addiction! (Along with watching vlogs.) If you crochet you would whip this little flowered tape measure cover up to make as a gift to yourself or friend, maybe even a swap gift! Great idea for using up left over yarn from a sock or any FO!

A cute picture to share of the crocheted cover ! I think this is so clever!!

The reason that I check back often to read this blog is because they are mother and daughter postings. Mom is in Greece currently and daughter here in the states. They keep in touch through this blog! I just relate and enjoy reading their posts so much!

My daughter is my youngest and now in her 20s. Albeit she does not live far – just across town. But, it is maybe once a week we see each other or talk. She is the mother of a one year old and is quite busy. She also has her own little cloth diaper business. Hey Dude Diapers

Daughter and I enjoy the sewing and I have to say that is another reason why I enjoy Carli and her mom’s blog! Just thought I would share the facebook page of my daughter who sews. Daughters are precious!

Nothing to share today in the knitting category but will soon. I am working on my second sock for my son Dennis, Jr.

I am really enjoying this spring weather! This is Memorial Day weekend coming up and I hope to savour each day. Summer just seems to fly by so fast. Well, I have knitting to enjoy each day and keep me in gifts to give!

Here are a few finished projects!

My sock knitted with yarn in my stash. Unfortunately I didn’t have the label on it. It is a lesson learned. My favourite colour is green! This really fit the bill for me! I am very pleased in how they turned out!

These striped socks knitted for my soon to be daughter-in-law. Knit Picks yarn with the Mixed Berries colorway

Now here is a picture of cabled socks I am making for my daughter Crissy Marie. She turns 21 the end of May! This is swap yarn from ravelry that was sent to me in a trade I am using. It is a discontinued brand and I like this yarn. It really is nice for the stitch definition for the cables.

The sock pattern for the above cabled sock is the Socks in a Box set by Charlene Church and Beth Parrott. It is the 2 x 2 cables pattern.

I am working on finishing my other son’s sock as I do have one done. Here is a picture I took of it in progress to share that I started! Zitron XXL sock yarn and I really like this for its feel and heaviness. I think this is a workhorse of a yarn for guys socks.

This is just a plain sock pattern. I did cuff down with the stockinette stitch with the gusset and decreased for heel and toe. My son really likes the colorway! He is a big fan of red!

Here is a cute picture below to share of all three socks. The photo was taken for me on Mother’s Day at my son’s home!

I am planning on starting an Estonian shawl for my mother as soon as this red sock is done. I can’t wait to cast on and share this! I am off now to knit……

My son’s birthday was coming up fast. March 8th to be exact. He had been waiting a full year for his socks to be knit. Time moves along at a fast pace and being tied up last March I never got them done. So, I was determined to get his socks done this year. I must add that he is 23 yrs old now and quite a patient fellow. I worked diligently to get this finished so I could hand them to him this year.

I am thrilled that they turned out beautiful. The yarn that I used is the Zitron XXL and I really liked the colorway. He did pick this out himself. My other son has picked out a Zitron XXL yarn as well and since his birthday is in August I will be working to get these done too.

I have made many pairs of socks these past few years and I have devised my own sock pattern at this point. The striping is awful busy so I put a solid color toe on the sock and it really completes it. At least I think so. Sock knitting can be so addictive!

Some of my fav yarns for socks are: (Not in any particular order)

Dream In Color Smooshy – Zitron XXL – Knit Picks Felici

Above is a picture of my son’s legs sporting his new socks and he did have a Happy Birthday!